Page 51 of The Song of Sunrise
Fuck!
I whip myself back behind the rock column and try my hardest to breathe silently. My palm begins to bleed from gripping my throwing star too tightly. I send a prayer to the Sun Goddess, willing my heart to go back down in my chest where it belongs. It’s no surprise if he can hear the ridiculous pounding rhythm from there.
What is an Underworld warrior doing here?
How far am I from the Academy? I suppose I did follow Miki for a while… damn cat.
I tell myself that it’s the Teller in me that is begging me to look. To spy. To understand and watch and learn more about this Underling, my enemy. I tell myself that it’s purely for the purpose of Telling that I want to glance around the slick rock column in front of me one last time.
I finally gather the courage to look around the rock.
But he is gone.
I wipe away another annoying bead of sweat from my forehead.
“Another one!” Leaf yells.
“Sun burn you.”
“Gladly, but we both know these thighs are already perfectly tanned.”
I huff and I look down at my hands. Damn. Already bleeding through my bandages again. Turns out throwing stars are sharp, and holding them properly is almost as hard as throwing them accurately.
Leaf and I have been training all morning on the first level of the Lower Fields along the side wall where all the practice targets are neatly arranged.
I’m exhausted and it’s not even lunch time yet.
I position the small, four-pointed blade in my hand, swing back my arm, and follow through full strength at the target.
The star thuds into the center of a small circle.
I smile and lift my hand into a particularly vulgar gesture at Leaf. “Does this mean we can break for lunch?”
Leaf saunters over to the target and removes the blade. “I think we’ve earned it.”
“You mean,I’veearned it. You have just been yelling at me this whole morning. Commander Hogsmith should be careful that you don’t usurp his position.”
“I’m not yelling, I’m strategically directing.”
I wipe another bead of sweat. “Oh yes. Two very different things.”
Leaf’s low baritone laugh makes me giggle as he hooks an arm in mine and guides me toward the hatch.
We walk into the main corridors of the keep until we get to the cafeteria, where Leaf proceeds to woo the staff into ridiculous serving sizes of each dish and pastry. He is the type of person that everyone wants to be friends with. So welcoming, warm, charming. The kitchen staff were practically begging for Leaf to try their latest concoctions. As warm and fuzzy on the outside he is, I will never forget how powerful he is. He could stun even a half-giant with hisblayzeor set a forest aflame with hissunfyre.
I, on the other hand, am a different story. Channeling Sun’cher magic has been a challenge. Selene even took time after Intro class to teach me a few Moon’cher spells to test if I was misidentified. But my Moon’cher affinity was even less effective.
So, being a mediocre Sun’cher it is... which is half of why I begged Leaf to help train me during break. So that I do not make a fool of myself in the physical section of the Presentation. I already know the magical part will be a struggle, unless my new plan will work.
Bright side, my staff and star throwing abilities are impressive. Marrow would be so proud if he could see me.
I reach inside my pocket under the lunch table and grab the small square of fabric. Am I worthy yet to be sewn into the fine threads, Marrow?
Leaf interrupts my thoughts with a question. “Who do you think is going to pick you as their champion?”
I almost spit out my water. “I’m not sure I’ll even get picked. If I do, I suppose one of the Elven tribes would be a nice pairing. Either the Forest or River tribe would be fine.”
“I’m hoping for the River Tribe, Terraguard, or the Elders to pick me. Anything but the Forest Tribe or Jord.”
